Zeynep Sonmez Assists Fainting Ballkid, Wins First-Round Match at Australian Open 2026

During the 2026 Australian Open first-round match, Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez helped a ballkid who fainted due to heat while playing against 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sonmez stopped play, assisted the ballkid to shade, and waited with officials until medical staff treated her. The incident occurred amid temperatures around 28-29°C. Sonmez later won the match 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, becoming the first Turkish woman to reach the Australian Open's second round in the professional era.